The Embers still Remain
by Wernher von Braun
Summary: Countless ages have passed ever since the end of the First Flame. Yet the remains of the Age of Fire still exist, waiting to be reignited. The First Flame shall be relinked and its power restored. Whether it is for good or ill, that is a question that the denizens of the new age have to find by themselves.
1. Born from Ashes

**Born from Ashes **

Bell Cranel couldn't help but feel confused by what he currently saw.

After he made his way through the Dungeon, the boy found himself in an area that was quite different compared to the rest of the floor. It was a wide circular room with a high ceiling rather than a hallway. The thing that took his attention the most, however, was a sword embedded in the middle of the room.

After looking around to make sure no monster was nearby, Bell cautiously approached the sword. From what he remembered, monsters leave behind magic stone and drop item after being killed. Both of them can be exchanged for valis, the currency used in Orario. That was how the profession of adventure could be profitable.

He never heard of a monster leaving behind a weapon. Then again, he was a rookie in this kind of profession. Bell decided to ask Eina about it when he came back.

The albino boy noticed that the sword was almost entirely charred, as if someone decided to throw it into the biggest and hottest fire they could think of and basically roasted the sword. He couldn't help but wonder if the sword would worth anything at all.

Well, considering the situation of his new Familia, there would be no harm giving it a try.

Bell grabbed the handle of the sword and was about to pull it when he suddenly had to release it. He fluttered his hands as he looked at the handle. There were now embers on it, which explained why his hands felt hot.

"I am pretty sure there isn't an ember when I touched it." The boy said to himself.

Before Bell could inspect the sword further, he heard the sound of footstep coming to his position and the voice of a bull. When he looked at where they came from, the adventurer saw a minotaur running towards him. It took him less than a second to make a decision.

He turned around and ran, leaving behind the sword. As he ran away with the minotaur hot on his tail, embers slowly and steadily began to spread on the blade of the sword.

Then, a bonfire appeared.

* * *

It was at night when Bell decided to come back to the Dungeon.

He couldn't explain what kind of feeling that was clouding his mind. Was it the anger of being mocked? Or was it a shame for being too prideful of his own achievement? It matters not in the end. All that he knew was, for him to be on the same level as Ais Wallenstein, the boy had to do anything and everything.

Which was why, after the event in the Benevolent Mistress Pub, Bell Cranel decided to dive towards the Dungeon…

"Eh?"

He suddenly lost his concentration when he realized that he had hit somebody on the way down and both of them were now falling from the stairs.

"Ouch!"

As soon as he hit the floor, Bell sat up and rubbed his head. Remembering the reason for the fall, he looked around and saw the person that collided with him; an adventurer wearing full, all-black armor. No, it was more correct to say that the armor was charred. The surface of the metal was black while the fabrics attached to it were in tatter due to a flame.

"Oh, gods! Are you alright?!" Bell exclaimed as he approached the fallen adventurer. "I am sorry about that."

When he came closer, the boy realized that the adventurer was shorter compared to his expectation. He thought that he was as tall as an adult, like his grandfather, but turned out to be only as tall as himself. There was a sword in its scabbard on the left side of the waist, suggesting that the adventurer was right-handed.

Despite shaking the body and slapping the helmet, Bell received no response. All of the anger and shame that he harbored disappear with only the intention of helping the adventurer remained. His desire to improve himself took a backseat as he carried the unconscious adventurer back home.

* * *

Inside a rundown church, the Goddess Hestia was currently preparing dinner for her and her first "child," Bell. It was nothing fancy; merely bread, water, and jagamarukun leftover that she took from work. But it should be enough for them.

She appreciated her handiwork before it was interrupted by the sound of someone kicking the door. From how loud it was though, the person likely kicked the door because both of their hands were occupied, making feet the only limbs free to knock the door. The goddess went towards the door and opened it.

"Bell, you've…returned?" Hestia's cheerfulness turned into confusion when she noticed that her child was carrying someone on her back. "Bell, who is that?"

"Ah, Goddess…" Bell went inside after Hestia allowed him with the armored adventurer on his back. "Can I borrow your bed for him?"

"Of course. Lay him down there."

Bell did as his goddess ordered him to. The latter checked the adventurer a little and – after making sure that he was not in danger – diverted her attention towards the boy.

"Bell, who is this and why do you bring him here?" She asked.

"Um, well…" The boy scratched his head before answering. "When I went towards the Dungeon, I didn't see clearly what – or rather who – was in front of me, resulting in both of us falling from the stairs."

"Then, feeling guilty about your fault, you decided to bring him here." Hestia finished the story as she sighed.

"T-That's right."

"Well, it's good to hear that you don't decide to get away from your responsibility." The goddess focused her attention towards the helmet. "I am pretty sure there's still a potion in the cupboard. Can you please bring it?"

"R-Right."

As Bell searched for the liquid, Hestia tried to take off the helmet of the adventurer. Being a close friend of Hephaestus, she knew a little bit about an armor, like how to take one off. The first thing that she decided to take off was the helmet so that the adventurer could breathe easier.

"Goddess, I manage to find it!" Said Bell as he went back with the potion. Noticing that his goddess didn't respond back, he tilted his head. "Goddess?"

"Bell, I think you're wrong about…him," Hestia said as she put the helmet on the floor.

Confused, he approached the bed and was surprised by what he saw. As it turned out, the adventurer was actually a "she." She has a short white hair, made sense as she was wearing a helmet, and both the hair and the face were covered in ashes. Due to that, Hestia grabbed a handkerchief and cleaned up her face.

"It's a miracle that she doesn't have a burn wound." She commented as she moved to the adventurer's hair.

"You think that he – I mean, _she _got burned, Goddess?" Bell asked as he put the potion on the table.

"Most likely. There are monsters that can breathe fire as one of their attacks." She put the handkerchief down, looking satisfied at how clean the adventurer's face and hair were. "Must be a high-quality armor to be able to protect its wearer despite being burned to the point of being charred."

Hestia made the adventurer sat up so that she could take off the rest of her armor. With Bell's help, they managed to take off the upper part of the armor in less than five minutes. When they took off the chain mail, Bell couldn't help but blush.

After all, the adventurer wore nothing underneath it except a sarashi to cover her breasts. Hestia raised an eyebrow upon noticing that the sarashi was also charred. She also noticed that her upper body was covered in ashes as well.

"OK, is it fashionable this day to wear charred clothes? Hopefully, this girl simply has a strange taste." She commented as she picked up her handkerchief again. "Bell, can you give her one of your shirts?"

"O-Of course!" He replied, feeling embarrassed that a girl would wear his shirt.

After cleaning her up and putting on the shirt, Hestia and Bell worked on the leggings. When they took off all of it, they found out that she didn't wear panties either but rather a long-charred cloth as well. It was also, almost without saying, that her legs were covered in ashes.

"Alright, it's official; she has a strange taste in clothing." The goddess commented as she cleaned up her legs.

After it was over, they lied her down again before covering her with the blanket. Bell noticed that his goddess stared at her intensely. Before he could ask for the reason, Hestia turned her head towards him.

"Bell, when you collided with her, was she on her way to the Dungeon or exiting it?" She suddenly asked.

"Eh?" He blinked due to the question before trying to remember the event earlier. "Well, I was descending the stairs when it happened… Oh, I got a glimpse of the front of her helmet! She was exiting the Dungeon!"

"Hmm…" Hestia put her hand on her chin before giving her child a revelation. "Bell, this girl…she's not an adventurer."

"W-What do you mean, goddess?" He scratched his head.

"When I look at her back, there's no sign that she has received a falna. Us gods could tell whether someone is blessed by looking at their back. Sure, we're unable to see the stats but we can recognize them from normal people."

"If she's not an adventurer, then what was she doing in the Dungeon?"

"Don't know why she decided to take such a suicidal action. Maybe there's a clue among her belonging?"

It was a good idea if not for the fact that she carried nothing except her armor and sword. Not wanting to end up in a dead end, Bell picked up the sword and slowly pulled it from the scabbard.

Before he could pull it further, the boy was suddenly smacked to the floor, the sword in his hand taken away. Bell immediately recover and took out his knife, ready to defend himself and his goddess from the attacker…

…until he realized that the attacker was the girl, now fully awake and had the sword unsheathed.

"Please, stop!" Hestia exclaimed, putting herself between her child and the girl. "I know you're afraid, waking up in a strange place. But you can trust us!"

She focused her sight on Hestia while making sure that Bell was not out of her peripheral vision. Slowly, she put her sword back into its scabbard. Even though the blade has been sheathed, the girl showed no sign that such action made her more vulnerable. In an act of good faith, Bell sheathed his knife as well.

"Good. Now, why don't all of us take a seat?" The goddess suggested.

It took a while for them to do so since there was hesitation in the air. Nevertheless, both parties took a seat, slowly but steadily breaking the ice.

As they sat down, Hestia noticed something else regarding the girl. Her eyes were red. The similarity of the color of her hair and eyes with her child caused the goddess to be curious. This caused her to look at Bell, then at the girl, then at him again, and so on.

"Is…Is there something wrong, goddess?" The boy couldn't help but ask at her strange behavior.

"Have both of you notice that the two of you could be mistaken as siblings?" She asked back.

Bell blinked several times upon hearing that before taking a closer look at the girl. Just as Hestia said, there were many similarities; the color of the eyes, the color of the hair, the cheekbones, the nose, one could be forgiven to make that kind of mistake.

"That's rather…strange, to be honest." He commented as he scratched his cheek a little.

"Bell, she's not your sister, right?" The goddess asked. "Or any relative of you?"

"No, I don't have a sister. One of the reasons I came to Orario is because I have no family left back in my village."

Hestia nodded in return. She turned her attention towards the girl, her curiosity longing to be satisfied.

"Can you tell me why are you in the Dungeon despite not being part of a Familia?"

The girl remained silent. Slowly, she moved her head to look at the goddess directly at the eyes. There was no emotion in her own. No other sign of it as well, as if showing one was something alien to her. Finally, she opened her mouth.

"I do not know."

"You…don't know?" Bell said in return.

"I woke up in the dark, yearning for nothing but to see the sun."

The girl was saying the truth. Hestia had a feeling that further questioning will simply result in more questions with no answer. As she pondered on what to do next, Bell decided to take his own initiative.

"What's your name?" He asked.

The girl merely looked at him. This caused the boy to blushed a little but he pushed on.

"I am Bell Cranel. This is my Goddess of my Familia, Hestia." The adventurer introduced themselves. "I-If you don't mind, I want to know your name as well."

She remained silent. He couldn't help but wonder if the girl had no idea regarding her name as well. However, that thought was soon proofed to be false as she opened her mouth.

"Soul…" The word was spoken under her breath.

"Sorry, I don't hear that."

The girl let out her breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them back, the answer was at the tip of her tongue.

"Cinder."

* * *

**And the prologue is done. **

**If you have a question or suggestion, feel free to tell me.**

**Review, please! **


	2. Not One of Blood

**Not One of Blood**

"Cinder."

The two other people in the room absorbed the information that they had just received. For the first time, the tone that she used to speak was full of clarity. As if she could finally confirm what she said was indeed something that she could be sure about.

"Cinder, huh?" Bell said before giving a small smile. "That's a nice name."

The girl, Cinder, nodded her head. Before he could comment further, Bell suddenly let out a yawn. He blushed, knowing that he had just yawning in front of a girl. Cinder didn't seem to be offended by the act.

"Feeling sleepy, Bell?" Hestia asked her child.

"Y-Yeah…" He replied as he rubbed his eye. "It has been…a long day…"

"I suppose we can continue this tomorrow. What do you think, Cinder?" The girl nodded her head. "Perfect! Let's have our dinner then!"

As Bell and Hestia enjoyed their jagamarukun, Cinder silently stared the food in her hand. She looked at the two of them before looking back at her potato food. After a while, she took a small bite and silently chewed it. She then swiped her finger on the surface of the jagamarukun and sniffed said finger before licking it.

"How is it, Cinder?" Hestia asked. "I know this is a street food even beggars can buy but I am sure the taste is something everyone can enjoy."

"Hmm… It's made from potato. The outside is crunchy but the inside is soft. Salt seems to be the main ingredient." Cinder said in response. "I suppose this could taste good."

"Um, Cinder, I am sure it's not that hard," Bell said rather awkwardly. "If you don't like it, then just say so. I know some people who don't like the taste of potato, so…"

"Ah, no, it's not that. I can't taste it."

Silence fell on the room after she gave out that fact about herself. Despite the fact that the stares of the people in the room were directed at her, Cinder simply continued eating her jagamarukun. The room remained silent even after she took the last bite of her food.

"That…that is…" Bell was unable to make a proper sentence. "You can't…taste?"

"I know the food is made from potato and is seasoned with salt. The texture is crunchy outside, soft inside." Cinder gave him an explanation. "But that's it. I can't taste how salty it is."

"Wow…" Hestia hesitantly took another bite of her jagamarukun, feeling uncomfortable with the atmosphere. "That is unfortunate…"

Thus, the rest of the dinner went on in silence. The situation remained the same until all of them went to sleep.

* * *

When Bell slowly opened his eyes, he could feel some parts of his body felt sore. Despite that, he forced himself to wake up. The financial condition of his Familia means that it was important that he made money as often as possible.

At the same time, however, they still haven't decided on what to do with Cinder. She belonged to no Familia and barely remembered anything about her past. She didn't even have any belonging that could help him and his goddess in tracking down her origin. Maybe they could ask the Guild for help?

"Ah, Bell. I see that you've awakened." He turned his head towards the speaker, who was none other than his goddess Hestia.

"Goddess." Bell gave her a smile before looking around the room, finding no one else. "Where's Cinder?"

"She's currently outside, saying that she wants to 'praise the sun.'" She replied as she raised her arms above her head in a "V" shape. Upon seeing his reaction, the goddess couldn't help but giggle. "I am not joking. She literally said that and also did the pose."

Bell tried to imagine Cinder doing just that. Making the somewhat silly pose while excitedly praising the sun. He had to admit that it was almost impossible to think about that, considering how her face seemed to be free of emotion and the tone of her voice is even.

"Anyway, while she's spending her time outside, why don't we update your status, Bell?"

"O-Of course, Goddess."

After the update, Hestia could feel a headache slowly forming in her head. Her child managed to gain a Skill, Liaris Freese. From is description, the Skill would make him capable of gaining stats at a much higher rate at a much faster time as well. Basically, Bell would be the center of the attention of the gods and might be taken away.

It could also cause complication regarding Cinder's issue. She did plan to ask the Guild to give out an announcement of the missing person but now wonder if it would worth the heat. She admitted that it sounded rather selfish but to be honest, being a god and being selfish is almost a synonym. Even the most selfless gods have their own moment of selfishness.

The day was still long though. She might be able to think of a better idea some later time.

"Hey, Bell, why don't you give Cinder a tour around the city?" Hestia suggested, thinking that it would give her enough time to think. "Especially to a clothing store since she only has her armor."

"Well, considering the amount of money we just received, I guess we can do that," Bell replied as he put on his shirt. "Oh, speaking of which, what should we do about her situation, Goddess?"

"Don't worry, just leave it to me."

* * *

As they walked through the street of Orario, Bell couldn't help but feel nervous due to the stare that he received from the surrounding people. He couldn't exactly blame them as he was walking alongside Cinder, back in her armor except for her helmet. She actually intended to wear it but the boy managed to convince her otherwise. After all, with her helmet on, she wouldn't be able to enjoy the scenery at its fullest.

Speaking about her, Bell wondered if he should bring her to the doctor. It was almost unnoticeable but there were times when the boy noticed that Cinder was limping when she walked. There were also, even rarer, times when he heard her almost out of breath.

Though considering that she could recover quite quickly from those conditions, Bell decided to not bringing her for a time. Doctor's service can be expensive.

"Ah, here we are," Bell stated as both white-haired stopped in front of a store.

It was quite a big clothing store. Just from the outside, Bell could see various types of clothes. From the skimpy, underwear-like clothes that the Amazons wore to the frilly, elegant dresses that were the favorites of the elves.

As they went inside and looked at the clothing, Bell took out the pouch where he kept the money for the clothes. 500 valis. Hopefully, it would be enough to buy decent clothes for Cinder.

"Oh, customers?" Bell and Cinder turned their heads towards the speaker, a blonde elf with glasses wearing a white dress. "How can I help you with?"

"Um…well…" He scratched his head, confused on what to do due to inexperience in shopping. Not that he never bought his own clothes but his grandfather told him that boys and girls have a fundamental difference when it comes to shopping.

Meanwhile, Cinder kept looking around the store. Suddenly, she stopped moving her head and walked towards a mannequin. It was wearing a simple white dress with a fabric tied around its waist. It was simple clothes, nothing special about it. Yet something about it resonated deep inside her.

"Yorshka…"

"You like that, huh?" Cinder diverted her attention to the elf. "It is a simple dress. Yet its simplicity is the charming point of the clothes."

"I can see that," Bell commented as he looked at the dress. "Though, isn't it too big for you?"

"It will be no problem. I have the size that would fit her. Just a little bit adjustment and it's done!" The elf commented as she observed the girl in armor. "It will take quite a time though. Two hours or three."

"Hmm, what do you think, Cinder?" She nodded her head. "We'll take the offer. There's no problem for me to leave for a while, right? I have some business to attend."

"Oh, no. Worry not. Just do your business while I am dealing with your sister's dress."

Before Bell could reply, the elf was already dragging Cinder away, most likely to a private room where she could get the measurements. He scratched his head while nervously laughing. Just as he thought, there would be people who mistake him and Cinder for siblings.

With that, Bell exited the store, intending of finishing the business that he referred to earlier.

* * *

After paying for the food that he ate in the Benevolent Mistress Pub last night, and also receiving lunch from one of the maids Syr, Bell returned to the store. He immediately saw Cinder and the storekeeper the moment he stepped in. The former seemed to be testing the dress, walking and jumping around while wearing it.

"Ah, welcome back, sir!" The elf greeted him. "You arrive just in time. We're currently testing whether the dress is in her liking."

"I see." Bell turned his attention towards Cinder. "What do you think, Cinder?"

"It's comfortable." She replied as she twirled. "I can move freely in it."

"We'll take it then." He said to the elf.

"Alright." She went to the counter and told them the bill. "It will be 200 for the dress and 80 for the underwear. In total, 280 valis."

"U-Underwear?" Bell became confused.

"Of course. While sarashi is indeed an exotic fashion, girls should not wear such damaged clothes if they could help it."

When she put it that way, he couldn't help but agree with it. Sighing, he handed over the money and both of them exited the store.

"Come back anytime!"

As they walked away, Bell took a closer look at Cinder's new dress. It was a sleeveless white dress reaching halfway to her ankles with purple fabric tied around her waist. He wondered if it was possible to buy maybe some kind of belt so that she could put her sword…

"Wait!" Bell exclaimed, causing Cinder to stop walking. "Where are your armor and sword?!"

"It's here." She replied as she showed him her hands.

"Where?" He looked around.

"Here."

He didn't know how but there were now armor and sword in Cinder's hands. He swore that they were not there a moment ago. Though maybe he simply didn't pay any attention. But to be incapable of such a degree…

"Bell?" She asked, taking him away from his mind. "Is there something wrong?"

"Huh?" He blinked and looked back at her. "Ah, no. Nothing's wrong."

Maybe it was a power that she possessed. He was not exactly an expert in this kind of stuff, so there was no way for him to confirm it. Perhaps he could ask his goddess when they returned.

"I just remember." He said, trying to change the topic. "I managed to get lunch for both of us. Why don't we have one before continuing our tour?"

"I do not see why not."

* * *

The two albinos were currently sitting on a bench in a park, enjoying their lunch. Well, technically it was only Bell since he was the only one who could taste the food. But it was the thought that count.

As he chewed on his food, a part of Bell's mind wondered if what he was doing with Cinder could be considered as a date. Sitting together closely, enjoying the same meal, in the park. The birds were chirping and the sun shining brightly. The situation was similar to how his grandfather described a date.

"Hey, bro! At least just a bite! Why can't you be like that boy? He's willing to share half of his meal with his sister?"

"Bah, he and I are different people. Most likely unable to stand against his own sibling."

On the other hand, there were those comments.

When he took the last bite of his food, Bell felt thirsty and was about to grab a drink when he realized that there was none of it. He looked around for a while and managed to find a kiosk selling lemonade. He turned his eyes to Cinder and – upon seeing her no longer eating – brought her with him to the kiosk.

"So, any suggestion on where to next?" He asked as he paid for the lemonade.

"Hmm…" She thought about it for a while as she accepted the lemonade. "What about where you found me?"

* * *

No matter how many times he saw it, Bell couldn't help but feel amazed each time he saw the Babel. Evidence of the power of the gods, being able to construct building beyond the abilities of mortals. The lid that prevented the monsters from escaping the Dungeon.

As he walked to the tower, he wondered if he would have time to visit the Guild. There was something that he wanted to ask Eina about. Also, he remembered being told that one of the available facilities provided by the Guild was a library. There could be some helpful information regarding the monsters.

"So, what do you…" He was about to ask his companion when he realized something.

Cinder was nowhere nearby.

"Cinder? Cinder?!" Bell started to look around. When his eyes were set on the Babel, a bad feeling started to form in his heart.

"_Don't tell me…_"

The boy began to run towards the tower. When he reached the underground floor, he saw Cinder leaning on the rail as she looked downwards. Once he was close, Bell could see how focused she was on looking towards the Dungeon.

"Cinder?" When she didn't reply, he put his hand on her shoulder. "Cinder?"

The girl slowly turned her head to look at Bell. After a while, she turned it again to look back at the Dungeon, causing him to be worried.

"Is there something wrong?"

"The Dungeon…" She slowly said. "It…I…I believe the answer…of my origin…lies deep there."

"A-Are you sure? I mean, while I did find you there, that doesn't mean…"

"I need to investigate it." Cinder stopped leaning and start walking towards the stairs.

"Wait!" Bell grabbed her hand. "You can't enter the Dungeon. It's too dangerous for people without a blessing from the gods!"

"I know my way with a sword." She tried to pull back her hand.

"That's not enough!" He didn't relent. "The monsters are simply too strong. Besides, you're not in good physical condition to fight. I saw you limping."

Silence fell on both of them. The adventurers who observed them due to the disturbance that they make began to disperse. Slowly, Bell let go of Cinder's hand. She looked at him intensely before opening her mouth.

"Then give me the blessing of the gods."

"Eh?"

* * *

As she waited for Bell and Cinder to return from their little tour, Hestia was still thinking about how to deal with the girl. Despite spending almost an entire day, the plans that she could think of were full of holes.

To put it simply, she still didn't have a solution in hand.

The goddess stopped her thought when she heard the door was being opened. She looked at it and saw Bell and Cinder entered the room. For some reason, the former looked to be quite nervous.

"Ah, Bell, Cinder, how is the tour?" Hestia asked.

"Everything is…well," Bell replied as he scratched his head and looked away. "Um, Goddess, you see, the thing is…"

"I want to join your Familia." Cinder interrupted him.

"E-Eh?" The goddess didn't expect that. "S-So sudden?"

"You see, Goddess…" The boy gave her an explanation. "…Cinder believes that a clue of her origin lies in the Dungeon. She believes that she could find an answer if she descends into it."

"And to do that, she needs to join a Familia." Hestia finished it herself as she gave a thought about it.

This was basically a one-time opportunity. If she accepted Cinder into her Familia, that meant the size of it will increase and one more person that could help their financial situation. At the same time, said situation also meant that she would have to work hard as often as possible and she didn't want to force a still-injured girl to work.

"I appreciate it." Hestia declared. "Though are you sure about that? Adventuring in the Dungeon won't be an easy job."

"This is the choice that I have decided. I _will _do it, whether it is alone or not." Cinder replied, leaving no room for convincing otherwise.

The goddess nodded her head. She picked a needle and checked for its sharpness. Seeing that it was enough, she gestured towards the bed.

"Alright. Lie on the bed and show me your back." She said as she went to bed. "Bell, leave us alone for a while, please."

"Of course." The boy replied as he exited the room.

Cinder lowered down her dress and showed the goddess her back as she lay on the bed. The latter pricked her finger and hovered it on the back, allowing her blood to fall on the back of her would-be child.

A drop of blood fell and landed on the back of Cinder.

* * *

In her office, Hephaestus was currently looking at the ledger containing information of her Familia's financial accounts. Seeing that there was nothing wrong, she closed it and took out a smaller ledger. This one containing the amount of debt that Hestia had towards her.

Suddenly, an explosion occurred, causing her to drop the book. From the sound, she knew that it came from one of the furnace rooms that her children used. She immediately stood up and went towards the source.

"Is everyone alright?" She asked as she opened the door. "What happened?"

When she looked at the condition of the room, Hephaestus saw some of her children were on the floor, suffering from burn wounds. Others approached them a give a hand. The goddess diverted her attention to a certain half-dwarf; the captain of her Familia, Tsubaki Collbrande.

"We don't know how it happens." She explained. "We're just about to increase the heat of the furnace when the heat raised dramatically. Big enough that it literally exploded."

"Could one of the new guys make a mistake?" The goddess asked.

"Impossible. The furnace used coal and there isn't enough to make a big flame, let alone explosion."

Hephaestus put her hand on her chin. There were a few things that could cause it. It could be because some mage in Orario decided to experiment on a new spell related to heat and it went out of control.

In the next several days, the Goddess of Smithing would discover that she wasn't the only god who had her furnace had an incident.

* * *

Hestia turned her eyes away from the back of her newest child when she heard something. Because of this, she didn't realize that a few moments after the blood touched the skin, some patches of Cinder's skin went on fire due to embers out of nowhere. They disappeared just as sudden as their appearance, causing the goddess to see nothing when she looked back.

She picked a paper and a pencil and began to wrote the information on Cinder's back. She stopped for a while, making sure that she didn't misread it, before continuing. After it was done, she hopped off from the bed, allowing the lying girl to sat up and fixed her dress.

"Bell, you can come in now!" Hestia said.

When he entered the room, Bell showed a worried face. Probably due to the sound that occurred earlier. It sounded like something had just exploded.

"Goddess, do you know what was that?" He asked.

"Not really. But don't worry. I am sure the Ganesha Familia can handle it." She replied as she showed them the paper. "So, this is Cinder's stats. Quite interesting, if you ask me."

She gave the paper to Cinder for her to read. When Bell came closer to her to read it as well, she showed him what was written on it.

_Cinder _

Level 1

Strength: I0  
Defense: I0  
Dexterity: I0  
Agility: I0  
Magic: I0

Magic:  
_Arts of Pyromancy_: A primitive magic mocked for its simplicity. Despite its name, pyromancy controls more than flame. _  
Arts of Miracle_: The power of the gods. Granted to oneself by tales that bring about revelation. _  
Arts of Sorcery_: An ancient magic originated with an ancient dragon that derived from one's soul.  
_Bag of Holding_: "Limit" is not a word that exists for you when it comes to baggage.

Skills:  
_Incarnation of Kings_: Everything that you possess belongs to you and not._  
Lord of Cinder_: Once, the sun was within your reach. Now, you are Lord of Only Cinder.  
_Backstab_: Few things are deadlier than a stab in the back._  
David_: It seems fate has an interesting plan regarding your struggle.

"A-Awesome!" Bell commented. "Four magics and skills respectively the moment of gaining falna?! That's…that's…"

"Pyromancy?" Cinder said as she showed her left palm. A flame suddenly appeared on it. "Sounds…right."

As both of her children looked at Cinder's stats, Hestia couldn't help but let out a sigh and rubbed her head, already feeling the incoming headache. She now had not only one child with a skill that other gods would find interesting but two.

Speaking of which, she was rather confused with Cinder's Magics and Skills. In the former, one of them, the Arts of Pyromancy, was stated to be "mocked for its simplicity." While she knew that some magic was not exactly impressive, like simply throwing a fireball, nobody ever mocked magic for being simple. Heck, being "simple" meant that there was no need for a very long chant that more powerful magic possesses.

Then there were Arts of Miracle, Arts of Sorcery, and Bag of Holding. She didn't have an opinion about them, other than not understanding exactly their descriptions, but she was kind of worried with Sorcery since it seemed to be related to the caster's soul.

And don't even get her started on the Skills. They were vague as hell, not giving even a single clue on what they did. Backstab could either refer to betrayal or literal stab in the back, like maybe giving her a boost if she stabs her opponent in the back. David might refer to the hero David. Which could mean that Cinder could win fighting against someone more powerful than her.

At least she could think of possibilities with those two abilities. Hestia had no idea at all about Incarnation of Kings and Lord of Cinder.

"_I wonder… Is this a curse or a blessing?_"

* * *

In her post, Eina Tulle was currently filling a report. As she did so, she wondered about the condition of the latest adventurer that was in her care, one Bell Cranel. Yesterday, he did not come to the Guild, something that took her attention but wasn't quite strange. He had just been attacked by a minotaur. He could be simply recovering from the shock.

"Miss Eina!"

The half-elf staff raised her head, finding herself seeing the white-haired boy. He looked more cheerful compared to usual, almost like how he looked when he told her that the Sword Princess saved him.

"Ah, Bell! It's good to see you again!" Eina offered him a smile. "Everything's alright, I guess?"

"Yep!" He nodded his head before remembering something. "That's right! Miss Eina, I want to register a new member of my Familia."

"Oh?" Eina blinked in response. "I see. Can I meet with the new member?"

"Of course!" Bell raised his hand and looked back. "Cinder, over here!"

When Eina spotted a girl wearing a charred armor approaching them, she couldn't hide her surprise upon seeing her face. She looked almost exactly like Bell but more feminine. The half-elf wondered if the girl is his sister or at least a close relative.

"Miss Eina, this is the new member of my Familia, Cinder." Bell introduced the girl in armor, who nodded her head.

"I see." She fixed her glasses. "Do you mind following me? I can give an orientation while you fill out the registration form."

Eina took them into a private booth where Cinder could fill the form without disturbance. As she did so, the staff explained to her the events surrounding the Dungeon, like its history, how it was related to the creation of Orario, things that could be expected when entering it, etc. Bell also shared with her his own experience of exploring the underground monster maze.

"Here you go." Cinder handed over the form after finishing it.

"Thank you." Eina accepted the form. Her eyes became slightly wider when she read it. "Huh, cursive writing?"

She inspected the form carefully and smiled, knowing that no mistake was made. Curiously, she looked at the name part and saw that the name "Cinder Cranel" was written on it.

"So, I take it you and Bell are siblings?" She asked.

"We are." It was answered by Cinder.

"I must admit, it surprises me that both of you don't register together."

"Well, when we were younger, Cinder and I were…" Bell made several gestures and seemed to look uncomfortable.

"O-Oh." The half-elf felt rather uncomfortable with the revelation. "I am sorry."

Bell hated that he had to hide the truth. First, he and Cinder were indeed siblings but not one by blood. It was because they were from the same Familia (according to Hestia) and would-be siblings-in-arms (according to Cinder). Second, he didn't exactly answer Eina's question, merely making her make some…rather uncomfortable conclusion.

Though he still did it because it was an order – no, basically a plea from his goddess. She told him that Cinder's situation might interest other gods and they would take her away from them. He would not let anyone steal his family.

"W-Well, everything seems to be in order." Eina fixed her glasses and nodded her head. "Good luck and remember, adventurer should not go on an adventure."

"Of course, Miss Eina." Bell began to walk away. "Let's go, Cinder."

"I'll follow your lead."

With that, the two white-haired siblings began their descent into the Dungeon.

* * *

**Answers to some reviews: **

**Havel the Hebel: **She wears a chain mail under her plate armor. From what I see of the Firelink Set, there's a part that looks like chain mail.

**Warlus999: **For linking the fire, not really. Gwyn can link the fire despite not being an Undead or an Unkindled, suggesting that other types of living being can link it.

For why Bell found it and not others, it's a spoiler.

For the condition of Soul of Cinder, imagine how weak you are after a long sleep and yet for some reason takes a _very _long time for you to recover your energy. She's not in her optimal condition.

Also, Praise the Sun! \\[T]/

**Nerf585: **None so far.

**Limbo: **I actually use it. It's just that I am unable to pay for a better setting.

* * *

**If you have a question or suggestion, feel free to tell me.**

**Review, please!**


	3. Blade of Cinder

**Blade of Cinder**

Bell had to admit that the journey didn't turn out as he expected it to be. At least it didn't turn into a bad situation. Still, it was quite depressing that someone that had just received a falna yesterday could defeat monsters that he was still struggling with.

"It's done, Bell."

"A-Ah, right."

During the whole fight, Bell did nothing but simply wait behind Cinder. It was a suggestion given by the knight herself; she would give a try in fighting the monsters and if she had a problem, the boy could easily help her. Turned out, it wasn't necessary as she easily defeated them. All that they need to do now was to collect the magic stones.

He couldn't help but wince every time she extracted stone from a corpse. While Bell himself could be quite messy in extracting the stones, Cinder simply ripped apart the corpses' chests to do it. It was not only the stones; goblin fangs and kobold nails, she simply ripped them away from the main bodies.

Perhaps he should have told her that it was better to take the stone first so that she could simply pick up the drop item. Considering that she didn't figure it out herself, however, indicated that she likely didn't care about that.

"Shall we continue now?" Cinder asked as both of them stood up, having finished extracting valuable items.

"Of course." Bell nodded his head. "Want to try to go to the lower floor?"

"Lead the way."

The two adventurers walked away from the scene of carnage, intending of going to the lower level. On their way, they encountered several goblins and kobolds. All of them were slain, their stones and body parts extracted, and the remains were left alone. This encounter happened at least three times.

"Huh, I know we spend quite a time on the first floor but to gain this much…" Bell commented as he checked one of his pouches.

"What about it?" Cinder asked curiously.

"Usually by this point, I would start to feel tired. I would get several more stones and items before returning to the Guild and have them exchanged for money." The white-haired boy explained. "But as of now, I still feel fresh. I believe we can earn more than what I usually earned. I am sure Goddess will be happy!"

"Just returning safely will be enough for her."

When they reached the second floor, the pair only managed to take several steps before a group of monsters approached them. Not only kobolds and goblins, but there were also several lizards among them. Bell drew out his knife with Cinder was about to do the same with her sword when she noticed something.

"Behind!" She stated as she drew out her weapon and turned her back towards the group.

The boy turned her head, making sure to not let the monsters in front of him completely out of his sight. Just as she stated, several goblins and kobolds were descending the staircases that they had just used earlier.

"Can you take care of them yourself?" Cinder asked as she prepared for a battle.

"Y-Yes. There's not many of them." Bell nodded his head. "I can."

Without anymore word, both adventurers dashed towards their respective opponents.

Despite how dangerous the situation was, Bell couldn't help but feel happy. He could feel that his body has been used with his own movements. Dodged an attack, swing the knife to counterattack, dodge another one, wait for an opening, and many more. He could also predict their attacks, which was really helpful considering his fighting style.

While the Bell slowly but steadily kill the monsters on his side, Cinder acted more like a battering ram. Any monster in her way stood no chance at all against the charred knight. They either died on spot or was sent flying towards the walls of the Dungeon. Their attacks were less than useless thanks to her armor.

It didn't take long until all monster was annihilated.

* * *

In her post, Eina was busy filling several papers when she heard footsteps. Judging how the sound was getting louder and louder, that person was walking towards her. She raised her head, looking away from the papers, and found herself seeing the newest member of Hestia Familia.

"Oh, Cinder. It's good to see you." Eina greeted her as the elf put down her quill. "Is there something that I can help you with?"

"There is one." The girl replied, voice as soft as ever. "How does one make money from monster drop item?"

"Hmm, I am going to need you to clarify it."

"Bell is currently exchanging the magic stones and some items that we gathered for valis. During our journey back, I have heard several adventurers planning to sell an item that they acquired to Dian Cecht Familia." Cinder explained. "So, how does it work?"

"Alright, this is going to be quite long." She fixed her glasses. "The Guild is usually the party that most adventurers approached to sell their drop items. The items will be sold either in normal transaction or auction, depending on the rarity and value of the item in question. For every profit gained from selling them, the Guild will take a commission."

"Another way is a transaction between one Familia and another."

"Correct. While the Guild has a good reputation when it comes to making sure that an item is sold, we only use the lowest monetary value for both safety and reliability. To gain profit bigger than what the Guild can offer, Familias exchange drop item with each other. It can be many things; money, valuable item like elixir, or perhaps even a favor or two."

"So, you approach the Guild if you want to make sure you get a profit albeit minimum and another Familia if you're looking for a bigger profit through chances."

Eina nodded her head. Many adventurers tend to learn a lesson through trial and error. Thus, it was quite refreshing to see one learning without suffering unnecessary consequence. Said adventurer was currently putting her hand on her chin with her eyes closed.

"How does one conduct inter-Familia exchange?" Cinder asked as she opened her eyes.

"Through quest. See that board over there?" The half-elf gestured at said board, attached to a wall several feet away from them. "When a Familia wants something that they don't want to acquire themselves, they will post a quest that another Familia will take in exchange for the reward listed in the quest. Speaking of which, quest is not limited to just acquiring item."

The knight turned her attention towards the board. She walked towards it with Eina keeping her eyes on her. It only took her a minute before she grabbed a paper and walked back towards her advisor. Silently, Cinder gave the half-elf the paper that she took, which was accepted.

"Hephaistos Familia, huh? You're lucky, your Familia has a close relationship with her." Eina stated before her eyes became wide. "Oh my, 500 goblin fangs and kobold nails each? It's easy but will take a lot of time."

"I'll still take it. Must start from an easy one first." Cinder stated.

"That's right. Just like I said, despite the contradiction, adventurers must not go on an adventure." The staff said in a lecturing tone. "Anyway, I am going to write you as the taker so that other adventurers couldn't steal your quest. You're sure about your choice?"

She nodded her head. She waited in front of Eina as the latter filled the necessary paperwork. The half-elf then offered Cinder a paper and a quill.

"Sign up here!" The advisor stated as she pointed at the part of the paper.

With her signature on the paper, Cinder had officially taken her first quest.

* * *

After exchanging the magic stones and some of the drop items and also cleaning themselves, Bell and Cinder went to get some food before returning to the church. As such, he decided to bring his new "sister" to a place that had become a favorite of his.

"Hostess of Fertility?" Cinder, in her casual outfit, muttered the name of the place.

"Yeah, the price is rather expensive but the quality is worth it," Bell explained as he scratched his head. "We make more than I usually did and since this is your first day in the Dungeon, I guess there would be no problem spending a bit for celebration."

"Shouldn't we invite Lady Hestia as well?" She asked as both of them walked inside.

"She's busy working at the moment. In fact, it's her idea to celebrate it."

Inside, the two adventurers saw that the pub was halfway full. They were approached by one of the maids that worked in Hostess of Fertility; one that the white-haired boy had become an acquittance of.

"Ah, Bell! You're here!" Syr Flover greeted him before focusing her eyes on the white-haired girl beside him. "Oh, sorry. I don't see you there. Welcome to Hostess of Fertility!"

"It's alright." Cinder replied. "Speaking of which, the name's Cinder. I am a new member of Hestia Familia."

Syr nodded her head while looking closer at her. She then turned her eyes towards Bell, then towards Cinder. She did these three times before putting her hand on her chin.

"You look _a lot _like Bell." The maid stated. "Is she your sister by any chance?"

"T-That's right." The boy replied, stuttering.

"Strange. You never mention her all this time."

"_She's sharp,_" Was the thought that came to both "siblings."

"Well, you see…" Bell scratched his head. "I and her…well…"

"Oh." It seemed that Syr had come to her own conclusion. "No, no. No need to tell me. You're not the only one."

"Huh?" The boy tilted his head.

"One of the maids that work here – not going to tell her name – has a…" She made a gesture as if she was pulling a rope until it snapped into two. "Get it?"

Bell simply nodded his head. It still felt uncomfortable with making people reaching the wrong conclusion regarding the relationship between him and Cinder. On the other hand, it was a lot more difficult to explain her origin; someone that he found wounded in the Dungeon despite not having a falna at the time.

Man, he really wished that there was a way to deal with this.

"In any case, I am glad to see that both of you are trying," Syr said suddenly. "So, table for two?"

"Yes, please." Cinder was the one who spoke.

The maid escorted the pair towards an empty table. After taking the order, she went back to the kitchen, leaving the adventurers of Hestia Familia alone.

"So, what do we do after this?" The "sister" asked.

"I feel a bit tired. So, I plan to go back to the church." The "brother" replied. "What about you?"

"I am…still curious about the city. Might take a stroll or two."

"Alright. Just make sure to come back when it's dark."

"You know, you take your role as a brother really well."

He couldn't help but laugh in embarrassment.

Their order finally arrived, being delivered to them by Syr. Bell ordered a plate of carbonara pasta while Cinder was ordering a mapo tofu. He couldn't help but squint due to the steam and how red the tofu was. When he heard someone speaking in a low voice, he looked at the source and saw Syr and another maid, Ryuu Lion, was preparing a glass full of milk. A _really _big glass full of milk.

Bell remembered that his grandfather told him that if you eat something too spicy for you to handle, you should drink a glass of milk. Just how spicy was the mapo tofu?

"_Well, I guess it's a good thing that…_" Bell stopped his thought, fork just millimeters away from his mouth when he saw her face.

Cinder was sweating as she continuously put a spoonful of tofu into her mouth. It was clear that she could feel the heat and spiciness of the food yet it did not stop her. In fact, it seemed to be encouraging her even more. She was devouring it as quickly as she could. When she was almost done, she stopped eating and coughed a little. On cue, Syr went to the table and gave her the glass of milk.

"Thank you." The knight said as she drank the milk.

"I must say, that was amusing to watch." The three of them turned their heads towards the speaker, the owner of the pub, Mama Mia. "Everyone before you, even adventurers, could only eat a spoon or two before begging for milk."

"It is spicy. But…" Cinder looked at the mapo tofu as she took a spoonful of it. "This food…it gives a sensation on my tongue. It's…different."

"So, you can taste spicy food?" Bell asked rather excitedly. "That means there's food that you can enjoy!"

"Technically, spiciness is not a taste." Mama Mia explained. "It's basically a sensation. That's why if you're having a cold, you can still 'taste' spiciness without problem compared to other tastes."

"I see." The knight stated as she finished the food.

"Still, it's no less impressive even if it's because you have tongue problem. In fact, it shouldn't even help you at all since spiciness has no relation with taste buds."

She merely nodded her head in return. Mama Mia patted her on the shoulder as she and Syr returned to the kitchen, leaving the two of them alone.

* * *

After the meal, Bell and Cinder went to their separate way as planned earlier. The latter immediately put on her armor and went towards the Dungeon. She felt quite refreshed and could do another run. She also felt that the monsters that she killed were too easy.

Thus, she decided to step up the game by descending into the lower floors.

The monsters there were more challenging. Not only the goblins and kobolds were more powerful, but there were also frog shooters that used their tongues, purple moths that spread poison, needle rabbits with their pack-based attacks, war shadows with their three sharp-as-knife claws, and killer ants that would call their companions if left alone too long.

When a war shadow tried to slice her, she rolled under its arm and stabbed it in the back. It then fell into the ground and turned into ashes, indicating that she had destroyed its magic stone. Not caring about it in the slightest, the knight went towards a killer ant and sliced it into two.

Before she could finish it, several purple moths flew towards her. Forced to move away, she quickly dispatched the moths before the still-alive ant could call for more help. She managed to kill it but only after it had called more. Half a dozen ants were now on their way to her location.

Waves upon waves of monster descent into her. Yet not even for a second she faltered. Sweats started to form on her forehead but not even a bit she felt tired. Around her, corpses of monsters scattered. Few had become dust because their magic stones were destroyed while most remained intact.

She could do this all day.

* * *

It was almost dark when Hestia and Bell were preparing for dinner. They were interrupted when they heard the door of their room being opened. When they looked at it, they saw Cinder walking in while shouldering a big bag.

"Cinder, you're back!" Hestia said as she approached her "child." "By the way, what is it that you're carrying?"

She didn't say anything in return. The knight merely dropped the bag and showed her fellow Familia the content. The two of them looked inside and were shocked by what they saw; inside the bag was none other than valis. A _lot _of valis.

"H-H-How do you get all of this?!" The Goddess couldn't help but shriek.

"With hard work." She answered simply.

"Wait, Cinder…" Bell seemed to figure it out. "Did you spend the whole time in the Dungeon?"

"There was nothing really interesting when I took a walk. So, I got bored."

"C-Considering how much money in this bag…" Hestia stared at Cinder hard. "You went beyond the fourth floor, aren't you?"

She received a nod as a reply.

"What…the…_hell _are you thinking?!" She exclaimed so loud that Bell jumped back in surprise. "Yes, it's not unusual for adventurers at your level to harvest stones and items in those floors but they are experienced; something that you are _not_!"

"I came out fine." That was the only thing that Cinder said in her defense.

"Well, yeah, but still…" Hestia facepalmed and let out a sigh of frustration. "Look, Cinder, you know what, I'll let this one slide. Next time, however, don't just go down to the lower floors without informing us. Got it?"

"Affirmative."

The Goddess turned her attention back to the bag of valis. After muttering several words under her breath, she tied it up and put the bag inside the dresser. She then went towards the bed with a pin on her hand.

"Come here, Cinder," Hestia said as she patted the bed. "Let's update your status."

"Oh, well, then I…"

"No need to, Bell. Just turn around and don't peek."

"A-Alright." The boy complied as his cheeks reddened.

Cinder did as ask and lied on the bed after taking off her dress, leaving her back bare to the world. The Goddess pricked her index finger and let a drop of blood landed on the back of the knight. This time, nothing else happened.

After Hestia was done with the updating and Cinder putting her dress back, the former looked at the paper in her hand that contained the status of the latter. Her two children went closer to her so that they could see the stats as well.

_Cinder_

Level 1

Strength: I0 - I2  
Defense: I0 - I4  
Dexterity: I0 - I1  
Agility: I0 - I2  
Magic: I0 - I1

"That's really low…" Bell commented softly. "If I am not wrong, my first update was higher than this, right?"

"You're right. By going to the floors lower than the fourth, she should have gained a lot more point than these." Hestia said as she put her hand on her chin. "Cinder, how much difficulty you faced when you were at the Dungeon?"

"Not much. The monsters were dangerous if they attacked me in a group but by all, not exactly a threat." The girl shrugged as she shook her head.

"That explains it." The Goddess stated. "The amount of points that you get depends on the amount of struggle that you faced. It is why the higher your level is, the harder it is for you to improve; the once-challenging enemy is no longer one, meaning that you get less point than previously."

"So, because Cinder easily killed the monsters, she only got this much despite facing a lot of them?" Bell asked.

He received a nod in return. With her hand on her chin, Hestia was trying to figure out the reason for the unnatural strength and ability of her newest child. While it was not strange for someone without falna to be able to defeat a monster, the fact that she was able to do it without much effort to the point of little struggle raised some serious flags. While she was already suspicious in the first place, the Goddess now believed that Cinder was not a human. At the very least in the traditional sense of the word.

A spirit perhaps? She shook her head. A lot of things related to the knight indicated that – as far as she could tell - she was not one.

Maybe she should leave this for a later time. It was already dark and she didn't have enough information to make a conclusion.

"Umm, Goddess, I don't mean to interrupt but…" Bell's sentence was finished by the sound of his stomach.

"Ah, right! Come on then, let's eat our dinner." Hestia said as she stood up. "By the way, Cinder, we bought some chili powder earlier for you."

"I see." For once, the tone of her voice was higher.

* * *

**Answers to some reviews: **

**Havel the Hebel: **Not really. She's Level 1 because Cinder has only received her falna recently.

For example, a knight and a farmer, despite having a difference in strength and skill, will both being Level 1 and have same stats as well during the moment they received their falna for the first time.

**Walrus999: **1) To be honest, I remember having a reason for it. Though it's been quite a time and as of now, I…actually forgot why.

2) It has something to do with Cinder's nature and her true identity. If you haven't figured it out, then sorry, it's a spoiler.

3) She's Level 1 because she only recently received her falna. You can be the strongest person in the world and will still be Level 1 when you received your falna for the first time.

* * *

**If you have a question or suggestion, feel free to tell me. **

**Review, please! **


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